Minimum wage body votes down proposal for different rates by industry

The Minimum Wage Commission on Tuesday voted down a proposal to adopt different rates by industry next year.

In a vote that took place during the commission's plenary session at the government complex in the central city of Sejong, 15 were against the different minimum wage rates, while 11 were in favor. There was one invalid vote.

Since differentiated minimum wages were adopted for the first time in 1988, the same minimum wage has been set annually across all industrial sectors.

The management side of the tripartite commission, which also represents labor and the general public, has been pushing for differentiated minimum wages across various sectors, citing economic challenges faced by small business owners and the self-employed.

The labor sector, however, has been opposed to different minimum wages, arguing they run counter to the objective of the minimum wage system to guarantee minimum living standards for workers.

They also contend that managerial challenges faced by small and self-employed businesses often stem from high rents and excessive competition, rather than high wages.

The legal deadline for determining the 2025 minimum wage was last Thursday, but the commission often goes beyond the deadline due to wide gaps of opinion between the labor and management representatives.

The minimum wage for this year is 9,860 won ($7.10) per hour. (Yonhap)